Saturday, March 03, 2007

Zodiac

Prepare yourself: this movie is deeply unsatisfying in the most satisfying way. It's not just set (mostly) in the Seventies, it also seems to embody the 70s filmmaking ethos. "Zodiac" is intelligent, adult, wonderfully matter-of-fact, seamlessly inhabited by a cast brimming over with talent (I think even the one-line roles are filled by notable faces, without ever distracting) and absolutely true to life. Just know that the real Zodiac killer was never found and while our hero may have written a best-selling crime book that claimed to figure it out, the movie doesn't even come close to giving you or him or anyone satisfaction. This isn't about a serial killer; it's about obsession, how obsession -- perfectly reasonable, even noble obsession -- can consume your life and your job and your family and your time and your dignity and your self-image and still remain unfed. The same thing will happen when you watch the film. I saw it on opening night and one guy booed at the end and everyone laughed in sympathy. "That's it? That's IT?" That's life.